DeKALB, Ill.—Taking both games of the doubleheader, the Northern Illinois University Huskies softball team swept the regular season series against the Ball State University Cardinals. The Huskies secured an 11–1, five-inning victory in the first game, fueled by a decisive five-run second inning. They followed with a 7–6 win in the second game, overcoming a deficit and clinching the contest with a walk-off walk.
 
This was the first three-game series sweep by the Huskies over Ball State since the 2016 season and second straight sweep for NIU. The Huskies took the two-game series last year in Muncie.
 
Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) went 3-for-3 in the first game and drove in a run before going 1-for-2 in the second game, scoring a pair of runs, and driving in one run.
 
Kayla Estrada (Riverside, Calif./Martin Luther King) went 1-for-3 in the first game with 2 RBIs before going 3-for-4 in the second game with 2 RBIs. Estrada hit a home run in each of the games for NIU.
 
NIU also recorded 11 hits in both games, marking three straight games with 11 hits.
 
"They (Ball State) pulled the momentum in the second game, and we had to keep pulling it back one by one. They (NIU) believe in themselves and in each other and were determined to get it done," said NIU head coach Kathryn Gleason. "Hannah Bolly coming in was key and shut them down. Ball State is a good hitting team and they swing the bat. We talked about getting the ball on defense and we started to do that. And we were disciplined at the plate. For Katy to come in and have that discipline was incredible. We're going to celebrate the win and then get back to work."
 
Game One Recap (NIU 11, Ball State 1 | 5 Innings)
 
Taylor Mackin (Minooka, Ill./Minooka Community) struck out the first two batters for Ball State before recording her third strikeout of the game in the second inning as the Cardinals recorded just two hits.
 
A Rylie Hartman (Kankakee, Ill./Herscher) single sent the first Huskie across the plate before Izzi Hanna (Granger, Ind./Penn) hit an RBI single for the second run of the game. A defensive error by Ball State allowed two additional runs to score for NIU. Stewart doubled to center field, allowing the fifth run of the game to score.
 
NIU kept the defensive pressure up in the third, striking out the lead-off batter and issuing just one walk.
 
Alana Powell (Chicago, Ill./Kenwood Academy), marked her second straight game with an RBI as Mia Morera (Simi Valley, Calif./Westlake) scored on a base hit. Hartman, who went 2-for-3 in the game, doubled to left field and sent the seventh run of the game across the plate. Jenna Turner (Marengo, Ill./Marengo) singled to shortstop, allowing Hartman to score the eighth run of the game for NIU.
 
Stewart had a lead-off single down the left field line to open the fourth inning before Estrada hit a two-run home run to give NIU a 10-0 lead. Powell and Morera had back-to-back hits for the Huskies before Morera scored on a fielder's choice.
 
The Cardinals scored their lone run in the fifth inning with two outs on the board, a home run to center field before the Huskies collected the final out of the game.
 
Game Two Recap (NIU 7, Ball State 6)
 
Ball State led the game off with a base hit before Ella Whitney hit a two-run home run to left field. The Huskie defense collected a pair of outs before Addison Zimpleman homered to left field as Ball State took a 3-0 lead over NIU.
 
Turner doubled to lead the Huskies off before being out at third as the Cardinals retired the side.
 
The Cardinals recorded one hit in the second inning and scored a pair of runs of a defensive error by the Huskies.
 
Leading off the second for NIU, Estrada sent the ball to left field for her second home run of the day to put NIU on the scoreboard.
 
Ball State scored their final run in the third inning on an RBI base hit to go up 6-1.
 
NIU recorded a pair of hits in third inning and loaded the bases on a Stewart walk before a groundout ended the inning.
 
Stewart hit NIU's second home run of the game in the fifth, marking her fifth home run of the season. Morera reached on a fielder's choice before Powell hit the third home run of the game to bring the Huskies within two at 6-4.
 
Each side retired the opposition in the sixth as the game headed to the seventh inning. Hannah Bolly (Beloit, Wis./Parker) struck out two batters as the Huskies retired the side.
 
Stewart reached via a walk before scoring on Estrada's double to right field. Ally Rodriguez (Romeoville, Ill./Plainfield East), who pinch ran for Estrada, scored the tying run on Morera's RBI triple to right field. The Cardinals issued two walks before Katy Ramage (Germantown Hills, Ill./Metamora Township) stepped up to the plate. Ramage battled to a 3–2 count, and a pitch clock violation on Ball State added ball four, allowing Morera to score the walk-off run.
 
NIU continues action at home as they host Kent State on April 11-12 at Mary M. Bell Field. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. on April 11 in a doubleheader and admission is free.
 
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